THE BRADFORD EARTHQUAKE SUMMARY 1 the Democratic Audit

The Democratic Audit

A E EARTHQUAKEU D M

The lessons from Bradford West for election campaigning and O C

political engagement in Britain ❱ Lewis Baston R

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T I 2. ‘Biraderi’ (clan- T C ❱ Why Bradford? ❱ Key findings based loyalty) Following the March 2012 by-election The corrosion of the established has in the past offered parties an in Bradford West, which resulted in a political parties in Bradford West apparently easy mechanism to amass dramatic gain for George Galloway of block votes, but the price that parties 1. The recent political history of Respect, the Joseph Rowntree Reform (Labour and Conservative) have paid Bradford West has been marred by Trust commissioned a report from Lewis has been higher than they anticipated patronage, neglect, bad organisation Baston (of Democratic Audit) to analyse and ultimately led to disaster, and even electoral fraud. Both Labour what happened. The task was to explain particularly when combined with a and the Conservatives are implicated the result and its implications for political lack of local political organisation and in this state of affairs. Local politics parties and campaigners of all parties. discussion. in Bradford has been about mutual The full report is divided into four accommodation between elites of 3. Bradford Labour in particular needs sections – the context of the election, the each community (‘Asians’, city whites to absorb the lessons of the election campaign, the local elections of May 2012 and suburbanites) rather than real and change itself radically; the same and the overall meaning of the political diversity, and voters have found this may apply in other apparently ‘safe’ changes in Bradford. alienating. seats where local politics is weak.

Bradford Town Hall illuminated by Patrice Warrener. Photograph by Joanna Stratton THE BRADFORD EARTHQUAKE SUMMARY 1 The Democratic Audit

There is a danger of a political West is a fascinating example of how the ballot boxes were opened on the night. vacuum developing in the city and messages can be propagated. The shock by-election result changed the elsewhere which may be filled by 10. National messages and campaigning political climate for the Bradford city fringe politics, despair or violence. language failed to connect with council elections in May 2012. Respect 4. As with some other by-elections in Bradford West electors’ bad gained five seats in Bradford, and which huge shifts of votes have taken experiences of mainstream politics. deprived Labour of the chance of taking place, voters in Bradford West do not overall control of the council. Despite the 11. Bradford itself suffers from a feel they have deserted their usual problems that Respect encountered in the pervasive sense of neglect and decline, party but that Labour has failed them summer and autumn of 2012, something hence the power of the symbolic issues and that there has been an option new had clearly taken place in local of the Westfield Hole and the Odeon available that better reflects the real politics, and that change might well have during the by-election campaign. values of the party. national significance. 12. International affairs, particularly Several explanations have been offered The local roots of Respect as they affect Muslims, did play for the revolution in Bradford politics, an unusually large part in the by- 5. Galloway could not have won without which Respect supporters quickly and election. This raises further questions a locally-generated upsurge of controversially called the ‘Bradford about identity politics and celebrity in political activity; the energy of the Spring’ by analogy with popular risings an age of plural media, and the way Respect campaign came largely from in the Arab word. After the election in which feelings of victimhood and local soil and was not a product of a there was considerable attention on resentment are cultivated, not only centrally-driven party strategy. the apparently new and innovative among young people and Muslims but techniques that the Respect campaign 6. That upsurge would probably not across the political spectrum. have happened had the local Labour used in the by-election, including its Party succeeded over the years in Overall observations superior command of IT and its ability to mobilise Muslim women and young first serving as a suitable channel 13. While the circumstances were unique people, who had previously seemed for political activity in Bradford it would be inappropriate to dismiss politically invisible in Bradford. More West, and second in running a Bradford West as an unimportant broadly, the result was seen as a selection process that commanded aberration. It indicates the repudiation by the electorate of party the confidence and support of party vulnerability of apparent strongholds politics in general, and Labour in members and the broader community. when a number of factors come particular, by many commentators. The together, and should give both major 7. The Bradford Respect campaign majority of Westminster insiders, who parties pause for thought about their itself compares with other protest had written off Galloway as a busted relationship with the core voters they movements such as Occupy in its flush, were appalled that he was elected. take for granted. self-conception and in its free-form Many accused Galloway of running an organisational style. 14. The result should not be dismissed as unscrupulous campaign that exploited an emotional spasm or a mistake by Muslim concerns and unfairly criticised Campaign techniques the electors of Bradford, but as a very his Labour opponent Imran Hussain. 8. In terms of campaigning methods clear repudiation of the local power However, a deeper look at by-elections, there was no revolution, merely a structure and the way that national the Bradford political background and positive rational ‘reboot’ conducted by politics is conducted. the politics of the Pakistani-British Respect of traditional techniques in community in Bradford makes it clear a modern setting. Bradford’s political ❱ that the Bradford West by-election was a parties have been held back in their Summary complex phenomenon, which crystallised development as campaigning entities Setting the scene several things that were ready to happen by non-ideological clan politics, and The Bradford West by-election of March in Bradford. Galloway was in the classic Respect’s innovations came as more 2012, in which George Galloway of the position of the rebel leader, summed up of a shock than they would have in Respect party triumphantly won a long- by words attributed to Ledru-Rollin in more engaged polities. The standard established Labour seat, was one of the 1848: ‘I am their leader. I must follow set of by-election campaign techniques most surprising and notable by-election them’; his campaign was a catalyst brought to Bradford by the main outcomes in recent British history. Few for a popular movement against a parties failed. observers among Westminster politicians particularly decrepit local political order 9. The interaction of social and and the media had a clue that Bradford in Bradford West. The culture of the traditional media can have a stronger West would be anything other than a campaign was participatory and perhaps effect than either alone; the effect routine Labour hold, and even among chaotically democratic and inclusive, of the television debate in the last Bradford Labour campaigners there was on the conscious model of the Occupy weekend of the campaign in Bradford little idea of what was to hit them until movement. THE BRADFORD EARTHQUAKE SUMMARY 2 The Democratic Audit The corrosion of the The normal talented outsider. Party who had come up against the power of the established political political language labels themselves seemed machine before, to the Respect campaign. parties in Bradford West “ interchangeable to many of They took with them the ideas and energy of ‘fairness’ the power brokers. Politics in that had been unwelcome in Bradford Any adequate account of the ‘opportunity’ ‘hard Bradford, to many, seemed to West Labour. There were some innovative Bradford West by-election conform very closely to a far- aspects of the Respect campaign – has to start by addressing working families’ and left view of how mainstream particularly in the role of women and the failure of the main so on deployed by party politics works, and if it its use of social media – but most of it political parties in the all the main parties was true of Bradford, people was a sensible adaptation of widely used constituency. Without years rang very hollow in wondered, might it not be methods to the Bradford context, and of neglect, stemming from an true also at a national level? some – such as George Galloway’s bus accommodation with power Bradford West. tour in the final days – was evocative brokers to exploit the clan In the words of a voter to ” of old-time electioneering. Other than a voting solidarity of biraderi (a social a Labour activist in Bradford ‘we gave strong emphasis on international Muslim system of kinship that derives from rural you a big kick in the backside and we’re issues, the campaign centred around local Pakistan and Kashmir), there would not waiting to see how you respond to it.’ The issues such as the Westfield Hole and the have been fertile soil for Galloway in main parties, particularly Labour, have Odeon cinema and a broad left of centre Bradford. been put on notice that the way politics prospectus. has been practiced in Bradford West is The constituency Labour Party was unacceptable to the voters. While the On the surface, the Bradford West quiescent, even moribund, for years, party has been vigilant about campaign had seemed to be similar to with the MP neglectful and far left infiltration, it has most of the other by-elections in the ill and hardly any political ‘we gave [Labour] been slack about guarding 2010 parliament in safe Labour seats – a organisation, education or a big kick in the “ against infiltration by others routine canter to victory for the Labour debate going on within the backside and we’re who have no commitment candidate, helped by the unpopularity of party. The Conservatives waiting to see how to Labour values. There the coalition government (which deepened were no better. Politics may be other constituencies considerably during March 2012). There and representation was they respond to where an apparently ‘safe’ was nothing that one could point to in dominated by the main it.’ hold on parliamentary the Labour campaign (or the others) that biraderi clan. This history of ” representation has masked serious the party had done particularly wrong; neglect and manipulation resulted in a problems. Given the decay in active it was just that the procession of visiting lot of dammed-up political energy in a political engagement in many places, dignitaries and press releases on national constituency with a youthful population the model of winning over block votes by and local issues seemed irrelevant to with unused campaigning skills and a lot dealing with local power brokers is not the electorate, and this time there was of local (and, admittedly, international) unique to Bradford and may be found in an alternative. The nature of the choice problems to get angry and campaign other northern and midland urban areas. was made very clear by the BBC Sunday about. It also led to a build-up of It would be rational for Labour to deal Politics debate broadcast on the last resentment among the smaller clans who with them before they reach the sort of weekend of the campaign – Galloway were excluded from representation, as crisis that developed in Bradford. was clearly a much stronger orator well as among Asians not part of the clan than his competitors. It helped make system and the local white population. The local energy of the Respect Galloway’s argument that people would campaign The decay of organised politics in be better off sending a Parliamentarian Bradford West before 2012 may seem The arrival of Galloway started to to Westminster than a councillor. The an isolated story, but it reflected in transform this potential for a challenge video of the debate was widely circulated exaggerated caricature a common view to traditional politics in Bradford West, online in the final days of the campaign; of mainstream politics held well beyond but the Labour selection meeting was the the combination of traditional and social Bradford. The normal key turning point. Although media proved a stronger influence on political language of ‘fairness’ [Online footage Imran Hussain was selected electors than either could alone. ‘opportunity’ ‘hard working by a large majority of those of the TV debate] Bradford West, candidate selection families’ and so on deployed “ present, there was a sense and collective loyalty by all the main parties rang helped make within Bradford that this very hollow in Bradford West, Galloway’s argument merely reflected a good Putting the Bradford West result in where manipulated clan that people would be clan turnout and superior context, it has some similarities to past politics meant that there was better off sending a manipulative organisational by-elections and constituency contests little fairness or opportunity skills rather than a genuine where there have been huge swings in political selection and Parliamentarian to consensus. The selection to Independent or centre candidates well-connected mediocrity Westminster than a resulted in the defection of such as Merthyr Tydfil (1970), Lincoln would always defeat the councillor. several Labour members, (1973), Bermondsey (1983), Tatton ”THE BRADFORD EARTHQUAKE SUMMARY 3 The Democratic Audit (1997) and Blaenau Gwent While the Respect that was earned mostly political engagement in this troubled (2005). A normally loyal by political stands that a section of a city with more than its campaign was to some partisan electorate felt that “ young politically minded fair share of problems should be much its allegiance had been extent about failing audience liked. The contrast more terrifying than the emergence of tested past breaking point to challenge popular with Esther Rantzen’s Respect as a competitor. Bradford Labour by the party failing in its beliefs, and stimulating failure in Luton South in probably does not have the resources to obligations to run a fair the 2010 general election is throw off the problems that have caused selection procedure with a grievances without instructive, not only in terms the decay, and the process of rebuilding a locally acceptable result. doing much to solve of how celebrity translates mass membership, vibrant and politically In many of these elections, them, the same can be into politics but also in engaged local party will require as in Bradford, there was said about many other how it is possible for local considerable outside help. an unusual amount of mainstream politics to revive discussion among the voters political campaigns. itself in a way that Labour Conclusion: a rational use of the themselves, and a sense of a community failed to ”do in Bradford West. power of the vote coming to a collective decision rather Much commentary after the election There was an element of identity politics than an individual exercise of consumer was implicitly critical of the electors in the by-election, without a doubt. choice which is increasingly the model of of Bradford West. But regardless of At times, particularly during the less national politics. Galloway’s campaign what they think about Galloway over savoury interludes in the campaign, it made it easier for Labour supporters to the longer term, the voters of the seemed to be about Labour and Respect switch over by claiming to be constituency used their power in a both trying to claim support ‘real Labour’ as opposed to rational way. It was an opportunity The prospect of a based on who was the better ‘New Labour’, and carrying to strike a blow against a local power complete vacuum in Muslim, and Galloway on the left and anti-war “ structure that was widely disliked. It was clearly targeted his appeal at traditions of the city and the political engagement a cry for help for a constituency suffering Muslim interests and ways previous West MP Marsha in this troubled not only from manifold social problems of looking at the world. This Singh. So while a startling section of a city with (including rapidly rising unemployment) is hardly surprising, or even result, it was not the same but also a pervasive sense of having been more than its fair – as such – reprehensible. sort of transformative neglected, forgotten and shabbily treated It is surely routine politics result as the most share of problems which gave Westfield and the Odeon when a democratic politician consequential by-elections should be much more such symbolic power. The problems of tells the voters what they such as Hamilton (1967) terrifying than the Bradford are much more widely known want to hear, in the sort and Orpington (1962) which and discussed because of the by-election. emergence of Respect of language that he thinks established the SNP and Even if Galloway’s populism outlives its they would respond best to, the Liberals as significant as a competitor. usefulness, the by-election will have done and it is inconsistent – dare electoral forces and changed the whole of ” the city a service. And having used the one say racist or Islamophobic – to object British politics. ballot to achieve an extraordinary result, to pandering to Muslims but not to, say, the electors of Bradford – particularly pandering to other sorts of myths about Identity politics, celebrity and women, the young and the marginalised nationalism, Europe or immigration. Bradford – know that they have the power to do it While the Respect campaign was to some again. There are several facets of the Bradford extent about failing to challenge popular result that have wider ramifications. One beliefs, and stimulating grievances

is that we may be in an age of celebrity without doing much to solve them, the politics but that what we understand same can be said about many other A

by celebrity and the media need to be E political campaigns. U D M rethought. Galloway was not familiar O

to the Bradford West electorate because Labour cannot afford to be complacent C

of Big Brother, but because of his about the ructions which have taken D

appearances on Iranian Press TV and his place in Respect since the summer. The R

Talk Sport radio broadcasts, and his tour party should not, morally or practically, I A T I de force before a US Senate committee assume that Respect’s problems will T C in 2005 which is a YouTube cause its strength in the favourite to this day. The problems of majority-Asian wards of Galloway’s triumph emerged Bradford are much Bradford to wither away Democratic Audit from a segmented, pluralistic “ without Labour doing Eleanor Rathbone Building more widely known and Bedford Street South and international media anything to put its own Liverpool, L69 7ZA landscape. While he was a discussed because of house in order. The prospect 0151 794 3012 celebrity, it was celebrity the by-election. of a complete vacuum in www.democraticaudit.com THE ”BRADFORD EARTHQUAKE SUMMARY 4